The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (2024)

Katie

Cowboy Caviar is the one recipe I make that everyone raves about! This fresh and simple side dish can be put together in less than 15 minutes. With a handful of simple ingredients, it makes a great side dish for potlucks, picnics, or parties. It is also a great way to use up your summer produce. This Texas caviar recipe also makes a great dip with tortilla chips or on top of a toasted crostini! Take your pick on how you serve it! As a result, it will be a crowd-pleaser!

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The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (1)

Texas caviar a colorful and zesty side dish is made with fresh bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, onions, black-eyed peas, black beans, jalapeno, cilantro, and optional avocado. Another great idea is to use it as a fresh taco filling! For this reason, there are so many endless ideas when it comes to this texas caviar!

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First off, I am all about saving time. This onion chopper will make your food prep time much quicker! Chop onions, vegetables, fruit, and eggs for your egg salad. An onion chopper will not only make your prep time more efficient but it'll save you the tears from chopping onions with a knife. In other words, get yourself an Onion Chopper on Amazon.

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Why is it called Cowboy Caviar?

Cowboy caviar gets its name from its Texas origins. It was invented by a woman in the 1940’s in Texas as a way to add flavor to eating black-eyed peas, which are traditionally eaten for good luck on New Year’s Eve. All of the ingredients in cowboy caviar are chopped small to mimic true caviar, though the tastes are very different! I don't know about you but I prefer this version!

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Some refer to this cowboy caviar recipe as texas caviar, redneck caviar, or cowboy salsa. Whatever you call it, it is the perfect summer side dish or as an easy and quick appetizer. Even the pickiest eaters will be satisfied! In addition, this recipe along with our Avocado Crack Dip are huge party favorites. They're both my go-to options for making ahead and bringing along to a party.

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Clearly, I've made this cowboy caviar recipe, or texas caviar so many different ways. Occasionally, I will toss one or two avocados in for added flavor. For example, my husband doesn't like tomatoes so I have made it multiple times with more bell peppers as a substitute. Whatever your preference, this Texas caviar will taste delicious!

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Preparation Tips:

  • First, rinse, drain and pat the beans and corn dry before adding them to the bowl. Doing so will help reduce the liquid.
  • The longer you let the flavors settle, the richer the flavor becomes.
  • Add more cilantro and jalapenos for a little extra kick! Sometimes I leave the seeds in and boy does it give it extra flavor!
  • This recipe can be customized to your liking. For example, substitute bell peppers in place of tomatoes.
  • Swap out the homemade dressing for Italian Dressing. This is my favorite Italian dressing and I've used it when I've been low on certain ingredients.
  • Press and roll the lime to release liquid before cutting it in half.
  • Lastly, Mix together with homemade dressing and serve!

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The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (10)

  • Author: Katie
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 15

Description

Serve Cowboy Caviar as a side dish or as an appetizer. It's sweet and savory that is light and satisfying. This crowd pleasing dip and side dish are great for game day, a summer bbq, picnic, or potluck!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 34 Roma tomatoesseeds removed
  • 2ripe avocados
  • cupred onion
  • 15ozblack beansrinsed and drained
  • 15ozblack-eyed peasrinsed and drained
  • 1 ½cupsfrozen sweet cornthawed (I just usually toss it in the salad frozen unless I plan on eating it immediately, it thaws quickly)
  • 12 jalapeno pepperseeds removed, diced into very small pieces
  • cupCilantrofinely chopped
  • 1bell pepperdiced (I used 1 red, but the color doesn’t matter)

DRESSING:

  • cupolive oil
  • ½tspsalt
  • 1tsppepper
  • 2tablespoonslime juicefresh preferred
  • 2tablespoonsred wine vinegar
  • ¼teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1tspsugar
  • Tortilla chipsfor serving

Instructions

  • Combine diced tomatoes, avocado, onion, black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, diced pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

  • Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss very well.

  • Keep refrigerated. If not serving immediately, be sure to toss/stir well before serving.

Keywords: cowboy caviar, texas caviar, redneck caviar

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The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (13)The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (14)

The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long will cowboy caviar last in the refrigerator? ›

How long can you keep Cowboy Caviar in the fridge? If stored in an airtight container this dip can be kept in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep in mind, the longer your dip sits in the fridge the more excess liquid that will accumulate. Just drain off excess juices and enjoy!

Why is cowboy caviar so good? ›

It is loaded with beans, veggies, corn, mango, feta and an amazing vinaigrette. Give a big bowl and some chips to scoop it up and I will happily watch football all day! What is this? If you didn't catch it, cowboy caviar was social media trending quite a bit this year.

What's cowboy caviar made of? ›

Cowboy Caviar (or Cowboy Salsa) is a popular chip dip that originated out of Texas. It's also sometimes called Texas Caviar and it's made with simple, healthy ingredients including: beans, corn, bell pepper, avocado, and tomato. It is the perfect appetizer for parties, potlucks, or game day!

What is the real name for cowboy caviar? ›

What Is Cowboy Caviar? Cowboy caviar, also called Texas caviar, is a refreshing salad of black-eyed peas and other ingredients tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. It was invented in 1940 by Helen Corbitt in Texas.

Can you freeze Cowboy Caviar in the fridge? ›

Storage: Store cowboy caviar in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How can you tell if caviar has gone bad? ›

A strong, fishy odor indicates spoilage. Color and Appearance: Any significant changes in color or appearance can be a sign of deterioration. Texture: The eggs should be firm yet delicate. If they become mushy or overly hard, the caviar is likely spoiled.

What makes the best caviar? ›

One of the defining characteristics of caviar is its rarity and expense. The sturgeon fish, particularly the Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga varieties, produce the highest quality caviar. Due to overfishing and habitat loss, sturgeon populations have significantly declined, making caviar even more scarce and valuable.

Why is Cowboy Caviar trending? ›

Texas caviar has been a trend in my house since I was a kid; my old man loved it. But this past summer, the salad has become a full-blown phenomenon thanks to TikTok and a person named Bria Lemirande, who made the salad for her 1.8. million followers. After that, the recipe went viral.

Is caviar even worth it? ›

Caviar can be nutritious when eaten in moderation. The fish eggs provide protein, omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals. However, caviar is high in sodium, so enjoy it as an occasional treat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium to keep blood pressure healthy.

What is Cowboy Caviar at Trader Joe's? ›

Instead of black- eyed peas, however, our “caviar” of choice is black beans that are mixed together with corn, onions and red bell peppers. Pickled in a blend of chipotle peppers, adobo sauce and lime juice, this crunchy, savory salsation carries southwestern character and enough heat to take note.

How long will Cowboy Caviar keep? ›

Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of Cowboy Caviar (more or less depending on the size of your bell peppers). Storage: This recipe keeps about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Make ahead: You can make the dressing up to 3 days in advance.

What to use instead of black-eyed peas? ›

If necessary, you can substitute another type of bean for black-eyed peas—Pinkeye Purple Hull peas, also known as Southern Pink Lady peas, are another, lesser-known Southern staple and variety of cowpea would be an excellent choice.

Who invented cowboy caviar? ›

Cowboy Caviar is an old recipe that was created by Helen Corbitt, famed 1950s Neiman Marcus food director, it was first served as “pickled black-eyed peas” on New Year's Eve at the Houston Country Club.

Who owns Cowboy Caviar? ›

The name Cowboy Caviar — also known as Texas Caviar — actually has some Dallas history. It was created by Helen Corbitt, the legendary culinary director at Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas, in the 1940s. Since then it's been a potluck staple for many Texans, and has even been fried at the State Fair of Texas.

Why is it called cowboy caviar? ›

First served at the Houston Country Club on New Year's Eve in the early 1940s, this bean salad was dubbed “Texas Caviar” in a humorous comparison to true caviar. Today it's more commonly known as Cowboy Caviar and it's a popular dish to serve as at picnics and tailgate parties, often with tortilla chips.

How long is Cowboy Caviar good for after opening? ›

Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of Cowboy Caviar (more or less depending on the size of your bell peppers). Storage: This recipe keeps about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Make ahead: You can make the dressing up to 3 days in advance.

How long does caviar last in the fridge after opening? ›

How long does caviar stay good after opening? For the best possible quality, caviar should be consumed within 3 days of opening. Usually, once the container has lost its vacuum the product should be eaten within a few days to a week max to ensure the best tasting quality and safety.

How long does vacuum sealed caviar last? ›

We recommend consuming caviar within 3 weeks of purchasing, but when stored correctly, small tins of vacuum sealed caviar can last 3-6 months, larger tins up to a year. The ideal temperature for storing unpasteurized caviar is 24° – 38° to preserve optimal quality.

Does black lumpfish caviar expire? ›

- Romanoff Caviar suggests using mother-of-pearl, stainless steel or plastic implements for spooning, as sterling silver can impart a metallic taste. - Pasteurized caviar has a shelf life of two years before opening. - After opening, it must be refrigerated and consumed within 7 days.

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